News at Eleven
by Sparkle731
Summary: Everybody knows how Hutch reacted when Starsky got shot by Gunther’s men but how did other people who knew Starsky react to the news? This story is complete.
1. Chapter 1

**NEWS AT ELEVEN**

**Everybody knows how Hutch reacted when Starsky got shot by Gunther's men but how did other people who knew Starsky react to the news?**

**Author's Note: Each chapter in this story will deal with a different person from Starsky's life and their reactions to the news when they learn about the shooting.**

**THE SHOOTING**

Hutch chuckled as he pushed open the glass door that opened into the parking lot behind Police headquarters. Starsky stepped through ahead of him, the two of them bantering lightly back and forth about a bet Starsky had just won. A bet that had earned him a dinner at a restaurant of his choice paid for by Hutch. It had been one of those rare days when they didn't have any pressing on-going investigations, court appearances or informants to meet with. It was a day they would normally have spent catching up on their paperwork but they couldn't even do very much of that because the detective's squad room was being painted.

"You owe me a dinner, buddy boy." Starsky said smugly as they walked away from the building towards the opposite side of the lot where Starsky's red and white Ford Torino was parked. The Torino was an eye catching car. Candy Apple red, it had a foot wide white stripe that ran across the roof just in front of the rear window and then down each side and to the front fender, where it tapered off to a point on either side.

"Well, since I'm buying….how about I pick a date?" Hutch said, as they passed a row of black and white cruisers parked against the building. "How about five o'clock in the morning?"

"Yeah? Well, I'm thinking of a three course dinner." Starsky said in a cocky tone as they crossed the pavement to the car. Hutch crossed around to the passenger's side and waited patiently for Starsky to unlock the doors.

"Oh, yeah?" Hutch teased him, as he flashed a grin over the top of the car's roof at his partner. "What's that? A burger, fries and a shake?"

"No way." Starsky told him, grinning back at him over the roof of the car. He fumbled with his keys as he continued his conversation with Hutch. "I'm thinking a broiled lobster….maybe a New York Steak…"

Hutch glanced away, distracted by the sound of metal grinding against metal. He noticed a black and white cruiser pulling away from the line of cruisers, scrapping the front fender of the cruiser beside it as it pulled forward. As it continued to move forward without stopping, Hutch saw the shadow of the gun being raised to the open window on the passenger's side. "STARSKY! GET DOWN!" Hutch yelled frantically, as he instinctively threw himself down to the ground, reaching under his jacket for his magnum even as he fell to safety beside the car.

He heard the sound of several gunshots, obviously from an automatic weapon from the sound of it, accompanied by the noise of breaking glass and the loud thuds of the bullets hitting the body of the Torino. Hutch rolled to one knee and fired three shots at the rapidly accelerating cruiser as it roared out of the parking lot, disappearing into the street. It all happened so fast that it took a moment for it register in Hutch's mind that he hadn't heard any answering gunfire from Starsky's gun. "STARSKY!" He screamed even as he continued firing at the rapidly retreating vehicle "STARSKY!"

Hutch's heart pounded frantically in his chest, his breathing heavy and harsh, as he raced around the front of the Torino. Fear clutched at his heart when Starsky didn't answer him immediately. He skidded to a stop, his gaze taking in the shocking sight in front of him, a sight that almost brought him to his knees. Starsky was lying on his right side beside the car, his head cradled gently in the rear wheel well as if the car was trying to comfort him. He was curled up in a fetal position, the front of his shirt covered with blood that was quickly pooling on the pavement beneath his body. Too much blood. Far too much blood.

"STARSKY!" Hutch screamed his wounded partner's name once more as he threw himself to the ground beside him, ignoring the blood that soaked through the knees of his jeans. He reached out for his best friend, his hands shaking, almost afraid to touch him. Afraid that his biggest fear would be realized. That Starsky would be dead. The brunet's eyes were closed, air bubbles seeping out along with the blood that was pouring from the holes in his chest. Hutch could hear a harsh gurgling sound that he recognized far too well. Starsky was drowning in his own blood as it slowly filled his lungs. Without even realizing he was doing it, Hutch carefully eased Starsky onto his back and pressed his hands down over the wounds in his chest, trying desperately to stop the blood that was escaping from his body. But the blood continued to seep relentlessly through his fingers, staining his own skin and his sleeves of his white jacket. "DON'T YOU DIE ON ME, STARKSY!" Hutch pleaded, his eyes brimming with unshed tears "DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!"

Hutch was barely aware of the men and women that were running out of the building and from other parts of the parking lot, both uniformed officers and undercover ones, ready to render whatever aide they could to their fallen comrade. His grief stricken mind registered someone's else's hands pressing over his, trying to help slow the steady stream of blood, even as someone else tilted back Starsky's head and started giving him mouth to mouth. Excited voices filled the air. Shouts for someone to call an ambulance even as other voices yelled out "Officer down! Officer Down!" But Hutch's attention was focused solely on his best friend's face, willing him to hang on until help arrived, refusing to allow him to die like this, especially here in the one place he should have been safe.

There was an indescribable pain in Hutch's chest, as he tried to remember how to drag air into his own tortured lungs. His mind refused to accept the terrible truth of what his eyes told him was fact. His partner, his best friend, the other half of his soul was dying right in front of him and there wasn't anything he could do about it. Dimly, he was aware of the sound of sirens in the distance, growing louder as they got closer. Hutch had never been more terrified in his life, the sheer horror of the moment seeping into every pore of his body and every part of his brain. The image of his dying partner implanting itself in his mind. He was functioning on sheer adrenaline, his emotions and the rational part of his mind had shut down the minute he saw his wounded partner lying on the ground covered in his own blood.


	2. Chapter 2

**NEWS AT ELEVEN**

**CAPTAIN DOBEY**

Captain Harold Dobey grumbled under his breath, complaining about the painting in the squad room, as he went into his office and closed his door. Even there, he could still smell the fumes that lingered in the air. With a groan, he settled down behind his desk intending to read and sign some of the daily reports from his detectives that had accumulated over the past few days.

Suddenly, the sound of raised voices and a commotion in the hallway caught his attention. He started to shove himself to his feet to see what was going on when the second door to his office, the one that opened into the hallway, slammed open and one of his detectives, Ray Anderson, appeared in the doorway. The younger man's face was deathly pale as he said breathlessly "There's been a shooting in the back parking lot. We've got an officer down."

Dobey immediately rose to his feet his feet and hurried from his office, moving quickly for such a large man. The news of an officer down would bring every man and woman in the building to the parking lot to investigate and to help in any way they could. Commanding officers would be needed on the scene to control the panic and the chaos. Dobey lumbered down the steps to the first floor, ignoring the elevator which was already in use. Breathing heavily, he burst out the back door into a scene straight from the bowels of hell.

He noticed the large crowd gathered on the opposite side of the lot and knew that was where the fallen officer must be. He could hear frantic voices yelling for an ambulance and anyone with advanced medical training. Dobey knew immediately that the situation was bad, very bad indeed. It wasn't until he started pushing his way through the crowd to get closer to the injured officer, that he caught a glimpse of the candy apple red car with the distinctive white stripe. He immediately felt as if someone had punched him in the gut. That was Starsky's car. That meant the injured officer had to be either Starsky or Hutch.

As Dobey finally broke through the crowd, he had to choke back the bile that threatened to spill from his throat at the heartbreaking sight before him. Hutch was crouched on the ground beside Starsky, slumped over his body, holding his hands pressed firmly against his partner's chest, trying to hold back the blood that was pouring from Starsky's wounds, soaking everything and everyone it touched. Another uniformed officer was tying to help apply pressure to the hideous wounds, wounds that Dobey knew from painful experience were probably fatal. A young police woman was kneeling close to Starsky's head, frantically giving him mouth to mouth.

Dobey took a deep breath to control his own frantically pounding heart, as he barked orders to the crowd. Someone informed him that an ambulance was on the way, while someone else gave him a brief report about two men dressed up like officers who had shot Starsky. Hutch had been spared from being hit only because he was on the other side of the car and protected by the vehicle's heavy steel body. But Starsky had been caught directly in the line of fire with no place to go. The bogus officers had escaped and the descriptions of them were hazy at best. It had all the earmarks of a professional hit.

Dobey felt a deep seated rage and an overwhelming sorrow. Starsky and Hutch were his two best men. The best team of detectives in the entire department. They were more than just partners and best friends; they were two halves of the same soul, a unit that depended on the other half to function effectively. If Starsky died, it would surely mean Hutch's eventual demise too. He would be eaten alive by his own guilt and grief until he either got himself killed deliberately or ate his own gun to put an end to his pain.

Although Dobey would never admit it to anyone, least of all to the two men themselves, Starsky and Hutch were his favorite detectives and he felt almost as close to them as if they were his own sons. He considered them close friends as well as professional colleagues.

They may be unorthodox, even arrogant at times, rebellious as hell, and too outspoken for their own good but that was what made them the best. They knew each other inside and out. They knew each other's strengths and their weaknesses and they knew how to compensate for the other one's shortcomings. They could even communicate without speaking most of the time, almost as if they shared a psychic bond that held them together even when they were separated. That connection had saved their lives more than once when one of them was in danger. But Dobey doubted if that bond would be able to help them much now.

Dobey turned his attention to Hutch. The tall blond was as white as a sheet, sweat beading on his forehead, a dull glaze in his ice blue eyes. His attention was focused solely on Starsky and he seemed completely unaware of the activity going on around him. He didn't even notice when Dobey gently clasped his shoulder and spoke his name, trying to get his attention. Dobey could hear Hutch muttering Starsky's name over and over, begging him to hang on, not to die, his words echoing in the air almost like a prayer. Dobey could tell that Hutch was on the verge of hysteria, the shock of the shooting wrapping around him like a blanket on a chilly morning.

Dobey raised his face towards heaven and offered up a silent prayer of his own "_Please, God, watch over these men and protect them. Don't let Starsky die. Don't take him away from us...not like this." _ The sound of the ambulance pulling into the parking lot claimed his attention as it screeched to a halt almost bumper to bumper with the Torino. Two paramedics jumped out of the vehicle, running to Starsky's side. The young policewoman who had been giving him mouth to mouth and the other officer who had been helping care for Starsky quickly stepped aside to give them room to tend to the fallen officer. Then one of the paramedics made the mistake of trying to get Hutch to move aside too.

That was all it took for the tall blond to lose it. He bared his teeth and glared at the two paramedics, his eyes as cold as two chips of ice and as deadly as a rattlesnake ready to strike. "STAY AWAY FROM HIM! DON'T TOUCH HIM!" He screamed "HE'S BEEN HURT ENOUGH! I WON'T LET YOU HURT HIM ANYMORE!"

"Hutch!" Dobey said firmly trying to get the detective's attention "Let them take care of Starsky so they get him to the hospital. They're not going to hurt him." When Hutch ignored his Captain's words, Dobey solemnly nodded at a small group of officers standing nearby. It was the last thing he wanted to do under the circumstances but he knew they were going to have to restrain Hutch to make him leave Starsky's side long enough for the paramedics to try and stabilize him so they transport him to the hospital. It took Captain Dobey and five other officers to pull Hutch to his feet and away from his fallen partner. He fought them every step of the way, yelling obscenities and trying to strike out at them with his hands and his feet. Hutch was a big man and he was strong, his strength fueled even more by the adrenalin rush and the fear of losing his partner that coursed through his body.


	3. Chapter 3

**NEWS AT ELEVEN**

**MINNIE**

Minnie Kaplan was a dispatch supervisor for the Bay City Police Department and had been for over ten years. She enjoyed her job and had no aspirations for promotion. She was content with her life as it was. When she heard the frantic calls going out over the air about a shooting in the back parking lot, she immediately left her post to investigate. She knew every officer in the building and she had to see who was hurt. Officer down was a call that affected every police officer deeply because they all knew that the next time it could be one of them.

The stairs and the hallways were full of men and women rushing towards the back lot to see if there was anything they could do to help at the scene. By the time she reached the door that opened into the back parking lot, the ambulance was already pulling into the driveway. She caught her breath sharply as some of the crowd backed away and she saw the red and white Torino, and then she saw Hutch, kneeling beside someone lying on the ground,. Minnie knew instantly that it had to be his partner, Detective First Class Sergeant David Starsky. Even from that distance, Minnie could see the blood that was pooled on the ground beneath the injured man as well as the blood that covered Hutch's hands and jeans.

"Oh, no… Starsky. Not you, baby….not you." Minnie whispered to herself, absently making the sign of the cross as she said a silent prayer for the wounded man. Everyone in the department knew Starsky and Hutch, if not by sight or by name, then by reputation. But Minnie was particularly fond of the tall blonde detective and his curly haired counterpart.

Starsky was a notorious flirt and charming as hell. Of course it sure didn't hurt that he was also a handsome devil. But then so was Hutch. They were complete opposites, both in temperament and in appearance. Ken Hutchinson, Hutch to most people, was a tall Nordic looking blond with ice blue eyes and classic good looks. Starsky was slightly shorter with an olive complexion, deep blue sapphire eyes, and dark curly hair. Where Hutch was more standoffish, almost arrogant at times, Starsky was friendly and outgoing with a ready smile and a wicked sense of humor.

Everyone in the department knew how close the two men were, closer than brothers. They had been together for almost ten years, seven as partners. Some officers who were jealous of them and their arrest record, or just didn't like them, spread rumors that they were 'more than just friends'. It made Minnie's blood boil whenever she heard anyone badmouthing the duo and she wasn't above letting anyone she overhead doing it know that they had better not let her hear them doing it again. She counted the dynamic duo as her friends as well as professional colleagues.

She found herself thinking about all the times she'd baked cookies or other special treats to bring in to the squad room. She always made plenty because she knew how much Starsky liked the sweet treats. He always grinned broadly when she presented him with her latest offering, his smile reminding her so much of a little boy being offered his favorite snack. Although Hutch's eating habits were more healthy than his partner's tendency towards junk food, Minnie knew that the tall blond would also make sure he got his own fair share of the treats.

She knew that they both had been seriously injured before in the line of duty and that they'd had more than their share of close calls in their careers but this was the first time Minnie actually believed she was witnessing the death of one of them. It was inconceivable that something like this could have happened here in the parking garage at police headquarters. A hit like that had to have been done by professionals. Amateurs would never have been able to pull it off and get away with it. Minnie knew that every man and woman in the city would be looking for whoever did this to one of their own.

Minnie felt the tears falling down her cheeks as she watched the two ambulance attendants trying to get close enough to Starsky to prepare him for transport to the hospital. In his grief, Hutch went ballistic, refusing to let them get close to his fallen partner. It took the combined efforts of Captain Dobey and five other officers to finally pull Hutch away from Starsky's side so the paramedics could tend to him. And even then, Hutch's screams could still be heard over the noise of the crowd as he yelled out Starsky's name. Hutch's grief was so tangible that Minnie saw several other men and women gathered in the crowd with tears falling freely down their cheeks.

A good partnership is hard to come by and in police circles, it's considered as sacred and almost as binding as a marriage. Good partners automatically become tight. They spend more time with each other than they do their own families and end up sharing everything with each other, their joy, their pain, their fear, and their vices. In a life or death job where you depend on your partner to watch your back, the loss of a partner is often something the remaining partner never gets over. Sometimes they quit the force entirely, sometimes they become alcoholics and sometimes they move on to desk jobs. In a really close partnership, the surviving partner refuses to work with a new partner. All too often, the surviving partner finds a way to end his own misery and pain, unable to live with the loss of the other half of himself. Minnie felt her own heart clutching with fear. She knew that if Starsky died, it would destroy Hutch too.

Minnie watched helplessly as the paramedics worked frantically over Starsky's body. They didn't hesitate too long, he needed immediate medical attention. They quickly loaded him onto a stretcher and put him into the back of the ambulance. One of the paramedics climbed in beside him and slammed the rear door, while the second paramedic climbed under the wheel and tore out of the parking lot, the siren screaming in the air. Minnie saw Captain Dobey leading Hutch towards the Captain's own car to drive him to the hospital. Minnie immediately rushed towards her own car, as did several other officers, all of them with just one thing in mind. Going to the hospital too where they would hold a vigil for Starsky until they knew if he was going to live or die. In the meantime, they would donate blood, buy each other coffee and food, make phone calls or do whatever else needed to be done for Starsky, for Hutch and for each other.


	4. Chapter 4

**NEWS AT ELEVEN**

**HUGGY BEAR**

Very few people knew Huggy Bear's real name and that was the way he liked it. He owned and operated lucrative bar and grill in downtown Bay City. Huggy was also known as the man to see if you needed something or if you had some information you needed to pass along. Huggy got things done and he was fiercely loyal to his friends. Huggy Bear counted Starsky and Hutch as two of his closest personal friends. He'd known Starsky since they were teenagers, having grown up just a few blocks apart in vastly different neighborhoods. He had met Hutch through Starsky while they were still in the police academy together. Over the years, Huggy had helped the two detectives solve some of their toughest cases by supplying them with vital information that had led to some high profile arrests.

The lunch crowd was just starting to thin out when the phone behind the bar rang demanding Huggy's attention. "You got the Bear." He said with his characteristically cheerful greeting "Talk to me."

"Hey, Huggy…" said a thin whiney voice in his ear "This is Skinny Moe." Huggy nodded impatiently, recognizing the voice as belonging to a local stoolie who often passed along information to Huggy in exchange for a free meal now and then. It only took a second for Huggy's mind to register the fact that Skinny Moe sounded more anxious and on edge than usual which meant something bad had to be going down somewhere in the city. "I just heard that some cop got gunned down in the parking lot at police headquarters. They don't think he's gonna make it."

"Do you know who it was?" Huggy demanded, his attention fully focused on his caller's voice as a sense of dread swept over the tall thin black man. A sudden chill seemed to settle in the air around him, fear making his heart pound in his chest.

"Yeah….your buddy, Starsky. Word is he took at least three slugs point blank in the chest…maybe more….."

Stunned at the news, Huggy hung up the phone without bothering to reply. "JIMBO!" He yelled to the cook working back in the kitchen "CALL RITA AND GET HER IN HERE TO COVER FOR ME!" Without any further explanation, Huggy ran out of the bar and climbed into his car which was parked in the alley behind the building. Driving as fast as he possibly could, he headed for Memorial hospital the nearest hospital to police headquarters. As he drove, his mind raced with fear for the safety and well being of his long time friend. He prayed that he wouldn't be too late. But either way, he knew that Hutch would need him there, especially if Starsky was dead.

At the hospital, he paused at the front desk long enough to find out that Starsky was in the Intensive Care Unit on the fourth floor. That had to be a good sign he thought to himself as he hurried down the hallway towards the elevators. At least it meant that Starsky was still alive. As he stepped off the elevator on the fourth floor, the first thing Huggy noticed was the large number of uniformed police officers milling around in the waiting room and the halls. Huggy hurried up to the nurse's station. The young blonde on duty looked harried and tired. She glanced up at Huggy and before he could even say a word, she pointed down the hallway to his left, automatically assuming that he was there because of Starsky. Huggy hurried in that direction.

There were patient's rooms on either side of the hallway, each one with a large glass window that looked into the room, where visitors and family members could still see the patient even if they couldn't go into the room. At the far end of the hall, Huggy saw Captain Dobey standing staring through one of the windows on the left side of the hallway. Hutch was sitting in a chair beside him, staring into the room, his body language rigid and tightly controlled. As he joined them, Huggy glanced through the glass and couldn't hold back the gasp that escaped from his lips. Starsky was lying on his back on the bed, his stomach and upper torso covered with bandages. Machines surrounded the bed, monitoring his vital signs, his heartbeat, and even breathing for him. There were so many tubes, and wires and medical equipment surrounding him that Huggy couldn't even begin to imagine what they were all for.

He had two IV's, one in each arm, and the respirator mouthpiece hid the lower half of his face, a strip of tape across the bridge of his nose holding the tube that ran down his throat in place. There was no movement at all from the curly haired detective and his normally olive colored skin was almost as white as the sheets covering his lower body. "How is he?" Huggy asked in a hushed voice

"He's still alive." Dobey said somberly

"But there's hope, right? There's always hope." Huggy said

"He's dying…Starsky's dying, Hug." Hutch said, speaking for the first time. His voice was flat and devoid of any emotion, a sound that made the hairs on the back of Huggy's neck stand on end. "He suffered massive damage…..the body can only withstand so much…." As Hutch's words trailed off, Huggy felt his own knees go weak. He knew that he would remain here at the hospital with the others, part of the death watch for one of his closest friends.


	5. Chapter 5

**NEWS AT ELEVEN**

**NICK AND RACHEL STARSKY**

Rachel Starsky had just taken a pie out of the oven when the telephone rang. She sat the pie down on the counter and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?" she said brightly

"R..R..Rachel?" a stammering voice said in her ear, a voice she recognized immediately as being to her son's partner, Ken Hutchinson. She immediately felt a cold chill surrounding her and a weakness swept through her. There was something about the tone of his voice, something that rang every alarm bell in her head.

"Ken? Is that you?" she asked trying to keep her voice level and calm, trying to tell herself that she was overreacting. "What's the matter? Is David all right?"

"No…." Hutch said, his voice tight and strained "He….he…." She heard the choked back sob that had crept into Hutch's voice and she knew he was calling to tell her the one thing she didn't want to hear.

"How bad?" she asked, saving him the pain of telling her the words he was having so much trouble saying.

"You need to come….right away." Hutch managed to say. Before Rachel could reply, she heard a muffled voice in the background and then another deeper voice came on the line.

"Mrs. Starsky?" the voice said "This is Captain Dobey of the Bay City Police Department. I'm sorry to inform you that David's been shot and he's in the hospital."

"Is he going to be all right?" Rachel asked, forcing herself to remain calm even though she felt anything but calm inside.

"The doctor's don't think he's going to make it. You need to come out here if you can."

"I'll be on my next available flight." She told him, as she leaned heavily against the kitchen counter to keep from collapsing to the floor. She had lost David's father to an assassin's bullet over twenty years ago and now she may be losing her son to one too. It was her greatest fear come true.

"I'll have someone pick you up at the airport." Captain Dobey told her. "You can call me back at Memorial hospital when you have the flight information."

"I will….." Rachel promised "Tell Ken that'll I'll be there soon….and take my son until I get there." She hung up before he could answer and finally let the tears fall from her eyes, as she slowly sank to the floor, giving in to her own grief and fear. She barely heard the screen door slam as someone came in the front door.

"MA!" her youngest son, Nicky, cried as he stepped into the kitchen and saw his mother huddled on the floor in tears. Quickly, he hurried to her side and wrapped his arms around her, gently helping her to her feet. "What is it? What's wrong? Who died?" he asked in a worried anxious voice.

"It's David…" Rachel managed to tell him, as she brushed away her tears. "He's been shot….they don't think he's going to make it. I have to go to California….."

"Oh…." Nick said. David. Of course it would be David. His mother wouldn't be so upset if it was anyone else but David. "You go pack and I'll call the Airlines for you." Nicky said in a soothing voice that he only used with his mother when she was upset or mad at him for something. Rachel nodded, regaining her composure as she slowly headed towards the stairway to go to her room and pack for her trip. Nicky waited until she was out of sight before he let the scowl cross his face. Even though his mother had sent David to California to live with Rosie and Al over twenty years ago, she still dropped everything whenever he needed her and Nicky resented it. She'd sent David away and kept Nicky but he still felt second place when it came to his older brother.

David was the one who decided to follow in Pop's footsteps and become a cop. He knew how dangerous it was and so did Ma. This wasn't the first time he'd been shot. Nicky knew he should feel something besides the resentment he was feeling right now, especially if David was as bad off as Ma said he was, but he didn't. Frankly, he didn't care if Davy died or not. He'd turned against Nicky a long time ago. He was closer to that damn partner of his than he was to his own brother.

He sighed as he called the airlines to get his mother on the next available plane to California. His mother didn't know how Nicky really felt about his brother and he wasn't about to let her find out. He would play the role of dutiful son and concerned brother until she was safely on the plane but there was no way he was going with her. Maybe this could all work out to his advantage. If David died than Nicky would get everything when his mother died and wouldn't have to share anything with Davy. The thought brought a faint smile to his face.

Within the hour, Rachel Starsky was boarding a plane for California. She had tried to convince Nick to come with her but he had begged off telling her that he didn't want to see David in his present condition. She wasn't sure if she believed him or not. She knew that her two sons weren't as close as they used to be and she knew that was her fault for sending David away when he was only thirteen. That was a decision she had always regretted but she had been forced to live with over the years. But nothing, especially Nicky's childish pouting, was going to keep her from her first born child's side. She just prayed that she arrived in time to say goodbye.


	6. Chapter 6

**NEWS AT ELEVEN**

**SWEET ALICE**

The petite blonde with the big blue eyes sat at the bar, slowing slipping her ginger ale. Since it was just barely past noon, business was slow but she didn't care. She didn't much feel like working anyway. There was a TV mounted on the wall behind the bar, the sound blending in the background. Sweet Alice wasn't really paying much attention to what was on until she heard the name Starsky followed by the name Hutchinson. That was enough for her to turn her head and focus her attention on the television screen and the voice of the announcer.

"Oh my sweet Jesus……" She said, her eyes widening in alarm as she listened to the first reports of the shooting in the parking lot at police headquarters. The news was sketchy at best, simply stating that Starsky had been the victim of a shooting, that he had been taken to an undisclosed location, and that he wasn't expected to survive his injuries.

Alice blinked back tears as pictures of the scene flashed on the screen, one showing Starsky lying on the ground beside that snazzy car of his with Hutch kneeling at his side and another one of him being loaded into the back of an ambulance. "Oh, handsome Hutch…." Sweet Alice whispered when she saw the obviously distraught blond next to his fallen partner.

The two detectives had always been nice to Alice. They had never treated her like a hooker or looked down on her. And she'd always had a soft spot for the tall blond half of the duo. She'd helped them out on some of their cases and never asked for anything either for doing it. That was one of the reasons for her nickname on streets. She was sweet and compassionate and a gentle soul who had simply made some bad choices in her life.

"Hey, Alice…." Said the bartender who had been watching the report along with her. "You know those two guys, don't ya?"

"Yeah, Mattie. I sure do." Alice drawled in her slow southern accent. "That's handsome Hutch and Sweet Starsky."

"Too bad. It don't sound like the one guy's gonna make it."

"You don't know Starsky…." Alice said with a faint smile tugging at her mouth "He just might surprise ya….he's a fighter that one."

"Yeah, well he might be a fighter but sooner or later everybody's luck runs out. Even the good guys."

"He's gotta make it." Alice said more to herself than to the bartender "Cause if he don't…then handsome Hutch won't either."

"They that tight?" the bartender asked, puzzled by Sweet Alice's pensive expression.

"Those two are more than tight." Alice told him "They share the same soul….they're connected by god…." She slid off the barstool and headed for the door.

"Hey, where you going?" Mattie called after her. It wasn't like Alice to leave so early in the day unless it was with a trick.

"I gotta go and find me a church. I gotta say prayer for Starsky." Alice called back over her shoulder as she walked out of the bar. Although Alice hadn't set foot in a church since she was little girl, she was a good fearing soul in her own way and she felt the need to offer up a plea to god on behalf of the dark haired man who'd always been so good to her and one for his blond partner. She didn't reckon that God would mind if it was coming from a back sliding Christian that made her living on the streets. He would know what was in her heart.


	7. Chapter 7

**NEWS AT ELEVEN **

**SIMONETTI AND DRYDEN **

Among the officers who heard the yelling in the hallways that day about an officer down were two internal affairs officers, John Simonetti and his partner, Mike Dryden. Dropping what they were doing, they joined the other officers running towards the back parking lot. Internal Affairs officers were not the most popular officers on the force but they were still cops and the 'officer down' call was one they automatically responded to.

As they burst through the doorway into the parking lot and caught sight of the crowd gathered around the flashy red and white car, Simonetti looked at his partner and said with a smirk "It looks like one of Dobey's golden boys got hit."

"It must have been Starsky." Dryden said solemnly. From his vantage point, he could see Hutch standing off to the side being restrained by some other officers. "Over there's Hutch."

"It figures. That loud mouth Jew is more trouble than he's worth. It was only a matter of time before somebody took him out."

Dryden kept his mouth shut but he shot his partner a dirty look. It was no secret that Simonetti didn't like Starsky or Hutch and that he had made them his private crusade. He had been trying for years to get them kicked off the force but they were too good at what they did for him to succeed. It was men like Simonetti that gave Internal Affairs the nickname 'The headhunters'. Dryden liked his job even if he didn't always like his partner. And even though he would never admit it to anyone, he also liked Starsky and Hutch. He thought they were good cops even if their methods were a little unorthodox. They might not play by the book and they might bend the rules but they got the job done. Their arrest record testified to that.

A professional hit on a highly decorated police officer, carried out in the parking garage at Police headquarters, would need to be investigated intensely. Internal Affairs would automatically play a role in the investigation to make sure it wasn't a personal vendetta against the officers involved for any wrong doing on their part. Dryden knew that he would have to keep a close rein on Simonetti. This would just give him another excuse to try and take down Starsky and Hutch.

"Well, he ain't dead yet." Dryden commented "They're loading him in the ambulance."

"Those bastards came out smelling like a rose when the Mayor himself asked them to re-join the force a few months ago." Simonetti snarled "But I think their luck just ran out." He looked at Dryden and gave him a wicked smile "Maybe we'll get lucky and Starsky will buy it, then Hutchinson will either quit the force or eat a bullet. Either way, we'll be rid of both of those outlaws."

"Why don't you face it, Simonetti?" Dryden drawled "They're too well respected and well connected……you ain't gonna find no dirt on them…unless you put it there yourself." He turned and walked into the building, leaving his partner standing there with a stunned expression on his face.

Dryden sighed wearily as he climbed back up the stairs towards his office. Maybe it was time to ask for another partner. Hell, maybe it was time to resign. He was getting too old for this shit. He knew that not many people liked Simonetti and Dryden's own reputation had suffered from his partnership with the loudmouth son of a bitch.


	8. Chapter 8

**NEWS AT ELEVEN **

**KIRA **

Detective Sergeant Second Class Kira Rogers was heading back towards headquarters from a stake out in downtown Bay City when she heard the first reports of the shooting at the police garage over her car radio. When she heard Starsky and Hutch's names over the air, she pulled her car over to the side of the road and parked so she could listen to the broadcasts without any interruptions.

It had been almost four months since her disastrous undercover assignment where she had worked with the two hotshot detectives. In the course of their investigation, she had gotten sexually involved with both men. She had actually dated Starsky for almost a month before getting involved with Hutch behind Starsky's back. Kira had always considered herself a sexually liberated woman and she didn't see anything wrong with being involved with the two men at the same time. Unfortunately, Starsky seemed to have had other ideas.

Kira still remembered that morning when Hutch had shown up at her apartment and asked her if she was in love with Starsky. She had told him yes and then she had told him that she was in love with him too. When Hutch hesitated instead of leaving immediately, Kira knew she had the upper hand. It hadn't been hard to seduce the tall blond into her bed. Neither one of them had expected Starsky to show up shortly afterwards and catch Hutch coming out of her bedroom, half dressed. The two men had gotten into a fight, which had been pretty one sided since Hutch just stood there and let Starsky punch him without really trying to fight back. Kira had made them both leave but she knew the damage had already been done.

She had heard how close the two men were even before she started dating Starsky. And Kira had always liked a challenge. It had been a rush to have two of the sexiest and most sought after men in the department panting after her like a couple of hounds in heat. And they were both really good in bed. Kira had enjoyed herself and she thought they had too until Starsky got all bent out of shape. And in the end, they had chosen their friendship and their partnership over any further involvement with her.

Kira had been angry and bitter when her affair with the two men ended. She didn't like to lose. Usually, she was the one who ended her relationships with men when they got too possessive or demanding. She knew that most of the other men and women in the department blamed her for the trouble that had resulted from their 'three way' love affair but she didn't really give a damn. She knew that most of the woman resented her and were jealous of her. And most of the men, she could wrap around her little finger without even trying.

In spite of everything that happened between Kira and the two men, she had really liked both men and had a good time with each of them. She would hate to see their partnership end like this. Nobody deserved to die that way. Especially Starsky. But, he was a cop. He knew the risks that went with the job just like Kira did. As she sat there listening to the reports on the radio, Kira was surprised to find herself feeling sad and depressed. A single tear ran down her cheek but she wasn't sure who she was crying for, Starksy, Hutch or maybe herself. She knew she was the last person who would be welcomed at the hospital. With a shrug of her shoulders, she turned off the police radio and pulled back out into traffic, heading for home. She had a date and needed to get ready.


	9. Chapter 9

**NEWS AT ELEVEN **

**ROSEY MALONE **

Rosey Malone smiled as she watched the Indian children playing in the schoolyard. She loved working with them but she really missed L.A. But her father had to leave and he insisted that she come with him because he was worried about her safety if she stayed behind. But leaving also meant leaving behind someone who had become very special to her in a short period of time. He was a cop and since her dad was a gangland figure, their relationship had been doomed from the start. But she couldn't just turn off her feelings for him, no matter how hard she tried.

She was still in touch with some friends in Los Angeles who kept her update on the current events in the city. They called her frequently and sent her a daily copy of the LA Times. After finishing with the children for the day, she went back to her tiny apartment and fixed something to eat, then sat down to read the week old paper. That was the only problem with living where they did. By the time she got the daily paper, the news was already a week old.

The cup she was drinking her tea from fell from her fingers unnoticed and spilled on the floor as the headlines from a week ago caught her eye immediately. "**_DECORATED POLICE DETECTIVE SHOT IN ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT." _**

"David….." Rosey whispered in a broken voice as her eyes focused on the front page picture showing the Torino still parked in the police parking lot with the dark stains of blood still visible on the pavement beside it. Her tear filled eyes quickly scanned the article which told her that David had been critically wounded and was not expected to survive. She let the paper fall to the sofa at her side as she broke down in sobs, crying for the man she had been forced to leave behind in the states.

Over the next week, she continued to follow the story closely. She was relieved when she learned that although he was critically injured from four bullet wounds, David had survived the vicious attack. He was hospitalized in an undisclosed location under heavy guard. Later stories, told how Hutch had brought down the powerful Gunther Industries headed up by James Gunther, who had paid for the hit on David and his partner.

Rosey wanted badly to return to the states to see David for herself, to tell him that she still loved him, but she knew that she couldn't do that. She had made her choice when she chose coming with her father instead of staying behind with David. That was a choice she would have to live with. As painful as it might be, they both had to get on with their own lives. But Rosey knew in her heart that she would always love a certain blue eyed, curly haired man whose only failing was being a cop. She wished with all her heart that things could have been different, that they could have met at another place and another time. Life could be so cruel and unfair at times.

Using her contacts in Los Angeles, Rosey arranged to have flowers sent to the hospital anonymously. It was the only thing she could do to show that she still cared even if David would never know who they came from. Through the same sources, she also had a sizeable donation made to the Police Widows and Orphans fund in David's name. It wasn't much but it made her feel better doing it.

**EPILOUGE **

Hutch smiled as he walked down the hallway to room 610. After almost two months in the hospital, Starsky was finally coming home. He was still in a lot of pain and faced months of physical therapy before he could even be close to his previous physical condition. But he was alive. He had beaten all the odds and had defeated death. He had died and come back. And Hutch vowed that he would care for him through his long recovery back to health. After all isn't that what friends are for.


End file.
